Park Hyatt is one of Tokyo’s original luxury hotels, whose frills cascade from the grandeur of the lobby to each of the en suites’ Aesop amenities. Impeccably attentive staff and views of Mount Fuji add extra pizazz. Thought you recognised the hotel? Scarlett Johanssen and Bill Murray graced the hotel when filming Lost in Translation.

A delicate balance of time-honoured and contemporary Japanese design features occupies the interior of The Celestine Kyoto Gion. Peppered with conscientious details such as gift-wrapped cloths and yukata robes, the hotel exudes unassuming luxury. Guests are even presented with (incredibly) Handy mobile phones, so the complications of data roaming will not prevail.

On the idyllic Unesco World Heritage Site of Yakushima island, Sankara Hotel & Spa Yakushima is perfectly placed for nature lovers. Here nature is a theme that permeates hotel, with locally grown botanicals and Thai herbal treatments being used in the spa. The hotel’s finer dining provides a French-Japanese fusion cuisine, which is prepared for guests in a sleek open kitchen.

Luxury resort and spa Amanemu (one of our favourites in the hotelier’s roster) is situated three hours by train from Kyoto. Ryokan-inspired, the retreat is surrounded by Unesco-listed pilgrim trails and sacred forests, making for an ultra-Zen wellness experience. Built (and designed) around a vast hot spring, the spa takes a holistic approach, with treatments spanning hot-stone therapies to signature facials and reiki. While the outdoor swimming pool is understandably alluring, the yoga studio and a quartet of treatment suites fringed by forest will beckon any bathing beauty out of the water. Meals spotlight the region’s izakaya-style seafood offerings and, come lunchtime, bento boxes of sashimi and tempura are coveted commodities.

The historic Palace Hotel offers guests a lavish stay with views over the gardens and skyscrapers of Tokyo. Hotels in the Japanese capital seldom offer guests balconies, so the addition of these adds a rare luxury to the white and pale-green rooms. Forget wading through dossiers of leaflets about local activities: Palace Hotel offers its own carefully curated selection of experiences and activities, including sumo-wrestler lunches and expert-led tours of local architecture.

The purpose of a visit to Zaborin is to do absolutely nothing other than relax. The resort is comprised of 15 secluded detached villas set around an onsen in a small forest. Our favourite touch is the library, stacked with best-selling books and films waiting to be taken back to your room.

The preservation of Aman’s signature serenity is flawless in its first city location of Tokyo. The incredible use of space in each bedroom makes you forget that you’re in a hotel; the airy rooms designed by the Australian architect Kerry Hill are filled with natural wood, stone and paper, echoing traditional, sleek Japanese homes. Enjoy the sweeping views of Tokyo while honing your folding skills with the delightful origami paper provided in each room.

Gôra Kadan is one of Japan’s most elegant and chic ryokans (a traditional Japanese inn), situated in Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Each room is a retreat of tranquility with minimal design and a palette of warm wood which exudes natural comfort. Private dinners are served in your room, and your dinner wardrobe is provided for you in the form of a comfortable kimono.

Cosy ryokan inn vibes meet luxury hotel at the 18-storey HOSHINOYA Tokyo, which benefits from a hot-spring onsen. The overall feel here falls somewhere between peaceful traditions and a casual modern attitude, exemplified in the cotton-jersey kimonos provided for guests.

There’s an emphasis on “made in Japan” at the eco-conscious Trunk Hotel, a perfect choice for the green-minded traveller. High-ceilinged rooms (some of which sleep up to 14) foster contemporary Japanese design with minimalist clean-cut lines – we recommend booking one with a terrace or balcony. There’s a wood-and-glass chapel on the terrace if you fancy getting hitched, too.

At Asaba you don’t need to lift a finger. Banquets and breakfasts are served in your timelessly minimal room in which futons unrolled each night by attentive staff. Soak in the onsen baths while taking in views across the Izu Peninsula.

With all rooms located above the 19th floor (and up to the 37th), Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel wows guests with breathtaking panoramic views across Tokyo. Opt for the Executive levels at the top of the hotel – just try not to steal all the L’Occitane amenities.